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Imperial Times 7/2/33 "CULT OF IRON CROSS GENOCIDE EXPOSED"
CULT OF IRON CROSS GENOCIDE EXPOSED By: Gerhard Jo For the past 4 months, I have traveled secretly across Novus Imperium in the vain hope of disproving the rumors that were told to me all that time ago. That Novus Imperium was systematically and deliberately destroying the Cult of the Iron Cross and executing those who refused to let their culture and their religion die. ' ' But I am unable to offer that comfort. What will follow is real, and it is disgusting. ' ' Before I begin I must first state that I am not a member of C.O.I.C. Being the son of Motuesse parents who have been in Dricktoria since before the war, I have never seen the incentive to join a religion that glorifies the sins of the past. But that does not mean I do not sympathize with C.O.I.C members and will fight for their right to express their religion. ' ' I learned of these rumors in late Calef while doing a story on the structural integrity of Bunker D-1 (Home of C.O.I.C). While I was given a tour I overheard a prayer for the Novus Chapters to return safely led by none other than High Priest Gotz himself. I, out of curiosity since no knews of trouble for the Novus chapters where leaked, asked to see high priest Gotz after his sermon. I was originally denied for reasons that will become obvious. But after much insisting I was granted a “Private interview”. I sat down with Gotz and asked him what the whole Novus issue was. ' ' “We haven't heard from either Novus chapter in years. Our scouts have either came back empty handed or haven't come back at all.” ' ' The Cult has kept this secret for years. Gotz went on to further explain why. ' ' “We feared that, with our ties to the 3rd Empire, that if we spoke out it could cause war between the two nations. A war that would needlessly kill thousands if not hundreds of thousands.” ' ' Gotz then cried for his brothers and sisters who from all available evidence were certainly in the “Empire of the Sky”. ' ' With this potential bombshell, I began preparation to investigate myself. After telegraphing permission from Imperial Times, I set off on the soonest civilian ship to Novus. Leaving my press badge and all equipment besides my notebook behind so as to not provoke suspension. ' ' I arrived in Practus on Gam 2nd. Practus is not known for a large cult presence, but one should expect at least a preacher “History Heckling” (Preaching about the cult in public) on a street corner. The act is unique to Novus chapters of C.O.I.C and is usually ignored by the general populace. But after walking the city and while asking locals I found no sign of Cult presence. On top of that, most locals ended the conversation after the sheer mention of C.O.I.C. Practus was a dead end. ' ' About a month later, after countless hours searching and traveling I reached Sheeba. Originally a Motuesse city made by refugees from Harmsen, Sheeba was the origin point of the Cult in Novus. It is in Sheeba that the Cult landed in the Fire continent and unfortunately killed the original inhabitants of the town when negotiations turned violent. Sheeba was known to have the highest concentration of Cult members in the north, and a large church only out done by the Southern chapter capital. So one would expect quite the heavy Cultist population in Sheeba. ' ' None. The streets are empty of the familiar black uniform, there are no cries of the Empire, there isn't even a temple in sight. As if the entire Cult disappeared. And as usual the locals gave me the silent treatment if I even alluded to the Cult. ' ' Day after day of nothing. An incomplete story. It’s like no one knows what happened to the Cult of the Iron Cross! Like one of the largest minority groups in Novus just disappeared from existence over night. ' ' I had one more lead to follow, the Southern chapter capital of Herra. ' ' But before that I took a pitstop in Dominus, capital of Novus Imperium. The massive old Fructum Ship that serves as Novus’s capital building cast a shadow over the shore district. Same story ive seen countless times by now, absolutely no Cult presence in the city. ' ' I asked around a bit. But after a few days I noticed a black car parked in the lot next to my hotel room. I stayed in that day to compile my notes, and this car, which windows you could not see into, stayed parked all day and night. When I left the next day to eat breakfast and interview some more I noticed the same car parked across the street. It was following me. ' ' That night I packed my essentials and left on foot, certain to stay off main roads. Once I was out of town I hitchhiked to small village in between Dominus and Herra. From there I got some much needed sleep on a bus ride to Herra. ' ' I am 100% positive the car I saw was owned by none other than some Novus secret service we don't even know about. ' ' Finally, after my brush with what could have been death, I arrived at Herra. Same story, and after asking a couple of locals I was ready to give up. It was already much more dangerous than I was used too. And I haven't learned anything besides “C.O.I.C is gone”. ' ' But then I met a man whom I will call klaus (not real name). Klaus, an older gentlemen approached me asking “Are you the guy asking questions about the Cult?” when I was eating lunch at a cafe. I slowly grabbed my knife in my pocket, sure that I had been caught and would have to fight my way out. But then Klaus sat down and said: “I am a member, I can tell you what happened.” ' ' Stunned at this turn of events, I quickly accepted his offer and followed him to his home in the lower end of Herra. ' ' I sat down with Klaus in his living room as he pulled out a box hidden away in his closet. From there he pulled out Cult patches, photos of him in his youth wearing a Cult uniform, along with other cherished items. His most prized being a rusted old Iron Cross medal that he clenched tightly. ' ' “This was my Great, Great, Grandfather’s. He served in the war.” Klaus told me with remorse in his voice. ' ' “...Novus took our guns, then they took our uniforms, and our temples, soon it was illegal for us to express our religion. Even the sight of a Cross necklace could get police attention. And Mathews forbid you ran, or tried to fight for your right of expression. They'd gun you down without a 2nd thought.” ' ' Klaus said many where have been killed in Temple storms and executions and many more have been arrested to be sent to who knows where. Klaus believes forced labor, but I have yet to find proof of that aspect. ' ' The Cult of the Iron Cross didn't just disappear, they were killed and jailed into submission. And the Novus Government has been covering it up for at least the past 13 years! ' ' “I just want my brothers and sisters back, my religion back, my life back!” Klaus, who told me this with tears in his eyes. ' ' This is a call to action, ni matter is your C.O.I.C or not, we must not let this gross injustice and violation of human rights go on! We must pressure Novus into action (or inaction in this case). ' ' *NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Imperial Times does not condone any violent actions taken towards Novus or Novus citizens.* ' '